Ko-Powai
Ko-Powai, officially the Powai Nuian Regional Polity of Ice and Earth, was one of the four regions of Powai Nui recognized by the Powai Nui Governing Coalition, located on the north and north-west edges of the island. Characterized by jagged mountains and a cold climate, it was populated primarily by Ko-Matoran and Onu-Matoran. History Early History Ko-Powai was created along with the rest of Powai Nui during the creation of the Matoran Universe. As with the rest of the island, it was initially devoid of wildlife and vegetation, until the Great Beings populated the island with Rahi, plants, and Matoran. During the tribal stages of Powai Nui, Ko-Powai was inhabited only by Ko-Matoran, as the surface environment proved inhospitable for other type and the Onu-Matoran tribes had not yet considered tunneling into the mountains. The Ko-Matoran tribes lived isolated from other tribes, but not from each other. Unlike most other tribes, their pursuits in philosophy and ideology brought them into constant peace; however this refusal to engage in war caused them to have a cynical outlook on the rest of the island. It would take some time before other Matoran would come to inhabit the area, mostly Onu-Matoran, likely for safety and comfort. After the formation of the Ranger's Guild, the first non-tribal group on the island, the Ko-Matoran tribes jumped at the idea of forming a unified group. In response, they formed the Kakkan Containment Organization from their ideals of peace and protection, as well as their views of the outside world as a hostile and savage environment. Government Formation After the formation of the Powai Nui Governing Coalition by Qedua, Ko-Powai was made an official region of Powai Nui, with the KCO representing its inhabitants. Due to this, an academic renaissance would begin, during which the idea of education, experimentation, and, most importantly, scientific research, would rise up in the regions' community. During this, numerous academies and scientific circles were formed, eternally cementing the region as it's island's center of innovation in those two areas. The Regression During the Regression, an event caused by air raids sent by the Brotherhood of Makuta, Ko-Powai would isolate itself from the outside world out of fear and was the least cooperative region during the tough and panic-driven time period. The inability of the KCO to function in this state would contribute to the chaos which spread across the island. To be added... Description Environment Ko-Powai was mountainous and cold. It had the highest elevation of all four regions, with an average 914 meters of elevation. Seven of its eight mountains were the tallest on Powai Nui, with its shortest only barely trumped by Mount Verheven, the tallest mountain in Le-Powai. The highest mountain, Mount Alger, reached 1915 meters above sea level. A large majority of the region's plant life consisted of shrubs which dotted the landscape. Most of these were endemic to the region, as they are accustomed to cold and inhospitable climates, undergoing "hibernations" during storms in order to conserve resources. Ko-Powai also contained the same family of massive conifer trees as were found in Le-Powai, although they were a lot less common. Infrastructure and Economy A majority of the inhabited areas of the region resided underground, consisting of extensive caves and tunnel systems dug out by Onu-Matoran. Thirteen hubs, large caves which were densely populated and designed to withstand traffic, resided within mountains where the climate appealed to both Ko-Matoran and Onu-Matoran. From these, numerous tunnels extended in all directions, leading either to hardy mountainside civilizations inhabited entirely by cold-withstanding Ko-Matoran or below-ground communities which were conditioned to almost any type of Matoran. More than three-quarters of the population resided within the lower communities, with the surface communities being scattered and underpopulated due to the jagged nature of the surface. Although the tunnels dug by Onu-Matoran could be supplied by the region itself, the equipment commonly used in them was expensive and required rare materials which weren't native to the region. Because of this, the region's organizations most commonly relied on the financial genius of Vo-Powai, partnering with companies headed in the region of Lightning in order to gain resources. Several times in the past, companies manipulated Ko-Powaian groups in order to reap more and more revenue from their efforts, occasionally to the point where they consumed them into their company or bought them out for the hopes of making even more profit. This led to the stereotype that Ko-Powaians were knowledgeable in everything except finance. Culture Due to the natural beliefs and interests of Ko-Matoran and Onu-Matoran, the region was Powai Nui's heart of nearly any and all academic study and scientific research. Sometimes called the "prodigy capital of Powai Nui" by the other regions, Ko-Powai's vast tunnels were home to many academies and laboratories where the island's knowledge and technology were progressed through research, discovery, and experimentation. This was maintained in the culture of its inhabitants, which generally encouraged innovation and deep thought. The most prominent and widely-acclaimed school in the region was the Serpex Academy of Medicines and Anatomy, famously situated at the highest cave within Mount Alger, a mere one hundred meters from its summit. It was named after its Ko-Matoran founder, who was widely known for creating a cure-all for numerous diseases, toxins, and parasites, which he also named after himself. This academy was one of the few to associate itself with other regions, as it provided medicine-oriented learning material for APNWT Rangers-in-training. Despite its innovative attitude, the culture of Ko-Powai could be difficult, biased, and even discriminatory. As Ta-Matoran discrimination existed on the island for some time, and no Ta-Matoran resided in the region for very long, Ko-Powai was the point where prejudice against them was the most concentrated. Even though laws were set in place to try and ensure respect for Ta-Matoran, certain areas still mistreated them in the few cases where they visited. Because of this, the region was occasionally in contention with Po-Powai, where most Ta-Matoran resided. On top of this, the fact that most Onu-Matoran value the past and Ko-Matoran the future was a common cause of strife within the region, especially in its most academically-oriented areas. Inhabitants A large majority of Ko-Powai's inhabitants were Ko-Matoran and Onu-Matoran, both of which comprised under half of the population each. The rest was composed mostly of Vo-Matoran, who were attracted to the region for its technology and scientific research. No Ta-Matoran ever lived in the region, as it was too cold for them to stay for very long. This was also possibly due to the discrimination against them. Here is a list of the region's most notable Matoran inhabitants, former and current: * Corduk (formerly, currently resides in Vo-Powai) * Haumaru * Kakkan * Navahko (formerly, currently resides in Vo-Powai) * Serpex Appearances * Against the Storm/Volume I - First appearance * Against the Storm/Volume II * Against the Storm/Volume III * Against the Storm/Volume IV - Mentioned * Against the Storm/Volume VI Trivia * Although the mountains in Ko-Powai are based on the Rocky Mountains in appearance, their geographical characteristics are based on the northern parts of the Appalachian Mountains. This was due to the fact that the Appalachians are closer to the ocean than the Rockies, and seeing as Ko-Powai is situated near the edge of Powai Nui, Cap decided this would help keep traits such as its elevation realistic. * Mount Alger was named after the Icelandic word for "absolute". Category:Powai Nui Category:Ice Category:Earth